US20060175376A1 - Apparatus and method for welding a pour spout fitment to a container - Google Patents

Apparatus and method for welding a pour spout fitment to a container Download PDF

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Publication number
US20060175376A1
US20060175376A1 US10/540,894 US54089403A US2006175376A1 US 20060175376 A1 US20060175376 A1 US 20060175376A1 US 54089403 A US54089403 A US 54089403A US 2006175376 A1 US2006175376 A1 US 2006175376A1
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Prior art keywords
fitment
head
flange
annular
container
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US10/540,894
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US7568607B2 (en
Inventor
Nils Adler
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Elopak Systems AG
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Elopak Systems AG
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/50—General aspects of joining tubular articles; General aspects of joining long products, i.e. bars or profiled elements; General aspects of joining single elements to tubular articles, hollow articles or bars; General aspects of joining several hollow-preforms to form hollow or tubular articles
    • B29C66/51—Joining tubular articles, profiled elements or bars; Joining single elements to tubular articles, hollow articles or bars; Joining several hollow-preforms to form hollow or tubular articles
    • B29C66/53—Joining single elements to tubular articles, hollow articles or bars
    • B29C66/532—Joining single elements to the wall of tubular articles, hollow articles or bars
    • B29C66/5324—Joining single elements to the wall of tubular articles, hollow articles or bars said single elements being substantially annular, i.e. of finite length
    • B29C66/53245—Joining single elements to the wall of tubular articles, hollow articles or bars said single elements being substantially annular, i.e. of finite length said articles being hollow
    • B29C66/53246—Joining single elements to the wall of tubular articles, hollow articles or bars said single elements being substantially annular, i.e. of finite length said articles being hollow said single elements being spouts, e.g. joining spouts to containers
    • B29C66/53247—Joining single elements to the wall of tubular articles, hollow articles or bars said single elements being substantially annular, i.e. of finite length said articles being hollow said single elements being spouts, e.g. joining spouts to containers said spouts comprising flanges
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C65/00—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor
    • B29C65/02—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by heating, with or without pressure
    • B29C65/08—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by heating, with or without pressure using ultrasonic vibrations
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C65/00—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor
    • B29C65/78—Means for handling the parts to be joined, e.g. for making containers or hollow articles, e.g. means for handling sheets, plates, web-like materials, tubular articles, hollow articles or elements to be joined therewith; Means for discharging the joined articles from the joining apparatus
    • B29C65/7802—Positioning the parts to be joined, e.g. aligning, indexing or centring
    • B29C65/7838—Positioning the parts to be joined, e.g. aligning, indexing or centring from the inside, e.g. of tubular or hollow articles
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C65/00—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor
    • B29C65/78—Means for handling the parts to be joined, e.g. for making containers or hollow articles, e.g. means for handling sheets, plates, web-like materials, tubular articles, hollow articles or elements to be joined therewith; Means for discharging the joined articles from the joining apparatus
    • B29C65/7841—Holding or clamping means for handling purposes
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/01—General aspects dealing with the joint area or with the area to be joined
    • B29C66/05—Particular design of joint configurations
    • B29C66/10—Particular design of joint configurations particular design of the joint cross-sections
    • B29C66/11—Joint cross-sections comprising a single joint-segment, i.e. one of the parts to be joined comprising a single joint-segment in the joint cross-section
    • B29C66/112—Single lapped joints
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/01—General aspects dealing with the joint area or with the area to be joined
    • B29C66/05—Particular design of joint configurations
    • B29C66/10—Particular design of joint configurations particular design of the joint cross-sections
    • B29C66/13—Single flanged joints; Fin-type joints; Single hem joints; Edge joints; Interpenetrating fingered joints; Other specific particular designs of joint cross-sections not provided for in groups B29C66/11 - B29C66/12
    • B29C66/131—Single flanged joints, i.e. one of the parts to be joined being rigid and flanged in the joint area
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/50—General aspects of joining tubular articles; General aspects of joining long products, i.e. bars or profiled elements; General aspects of joining single elements to tubular articles, hollow articles or bars; General aspects of joining several hollow-preforms to form hollow or tubular articles
    • B29C66/61—Joining from or joining on the inside
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/50—General aspects of joining tubular articles; General aspects of joining long products, i.e. bars or profiled elements; General aspects of joining single elements to tubular articles, hollow articles or bars; General aspects of joining several hollow-preforms to form hollow or tubular articles
    • B29C66/63—Internally supporting the article during joining
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/70—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material
    • B29C66/72—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the structure of the material of the parts to be joined
    • B29C66/723—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the structure of the material of the parts to be joined being multi-layered
    • B29C66/7232—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the structure of the material of the parts to be joined being multi-layered comprising a non-plastics layer
    • B29C66/72327—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the structure of the material of the parts to be joined being multi-layered comprising a non-plastics layer consisting of natural products or their composites, not provided for in B29C66/72321 - B29C66/72324
    • B29C66/72328—Paper
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/70—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material
    • B29C66/73—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the intensive physical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the optical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the extensive physical properties of the parts to be joined, by the state of the material of the parts to be joined or by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset
    • B29C66/739—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the intensive physical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the optical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the extensive physical properties of the parts to be joined, by the state of the material of the parts to be joined or by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset characterised by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset
    • B29C66/7392—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the intensive physical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the optical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the extensive physical properties of the parts to be joined, by the state of the material of the parts to be joined or by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset characterised by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset characterised by the material of at least one of the parts being a thermoplastic
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/80—General aspects of machine operations or constructions and parts thereof
    • B29C66/81—General aspects of the pressing elements, i.e. the elements applying pressure on the parts to be joined in the area to be joined, e.g. the welding jaws or clamps
    • B29C66/814—General aspects of the pressing elements, i.e. the elements applying pressure on the parts to be joined in the area to be joined, e.g. the welding jaws or clamps characterised by the design of the pressing elements, e.g. of the welding jaws or clamps
    • B29C66/8141—General aspects of the pressing elements, i.e. the elements applying pressure on the parts to be joined in the area to be joined, e.g. the welding jaws or clamps characterised by the design of the pressing elements, e.g. of the welding jaws or clamps characterised by the surface geometry of the part of the pressing elements, e.g. welding jaws or clamps, coming into contact with the parts to be joined
    • B29C66/81431—General aspects of the pressing elements, i.e. the elements applying pressure on the parts to be joined in the area to be joined, e.g. the welding jaws or clamps characterised by the design of the pressing elements, e.g. of the welding jaws or clamps characterised by the surface geometry of the part of the pressing elements, e.g. welding jaws or clamps, coming into contact with the parts to be joined comprising a single cavity, e.g. a groove
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/80—General aspects of machine operations or constructions and parts thereof
    • B29C66/81—General aspects of the pressing elements, i.e. the elements applying pressure on the parts to be joined in the area to be joined, e.g. the welding jaws or clamps
    • B29C66/816—General aspects of the pressing elements, i.e. the elements applying pressure on the parts to be joined in the area to be joined, e.g. the welding jaws or clamps characterised by the mounting of the pressing elements, e.g. of the welding jaws or clamps
    • B29C66/8167—Quick change joining tools or surfaces
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B31—MAKING ARTICLES OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER; WORKING PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER
    • B31B—MAKING CONTAINERS OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER
    • B31B50/00—Making rigid or semi-rigid containers, e.g. boxes or cartons
    • B31B50/74—Auxiliary operations
    • B31B50/81—Forming or attaching accessories, e.g. opening devices, closures or tear strings
    • B31B50/84—Forming or attaching means for filling or dispensing contents, e.g. valves or spouts
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B51/00—Devices for, or methods of, sealing or securing package folds or closures; Devices for gathering or twisting wrappers, or necks of bags
    • B65B51/10—Applying or generating heat or pressure or combinations thereof
    • B65B51/22—Applying or generating heat or pressure or combinations thereof by friction or ultrasonic or high-frequency electrical means, i.e. by friction or ultrasonic or induction welding
    • B65B51/225—Applying or generating heat or pressure or combinations thereof by friction or ultrasonic or high-frequency electrical means, i.e. by friction or ultrasonic or induction welding by ultrasonic welding
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B61/00—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages
    • B65B61/18—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages for making package-opening or unpacking elements
    • B65B61/186—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages for making package-opening or unpacking elements by applying or incorporating rigid fittings, e.g. discharge spouts
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/80—General aspects of machine operations or constructions and parts thereof
    • B29C66/83—General aspects of machine operations or constructions and parts thereof characterised by the movement of the joining or pressing tools
    • B29C66/832—Reciprocating joining or pressing tools
    • B29C66/8322—Joining or pressing tools reciprocating along one axis
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29L—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES
    • B29L2031/00—Other particular articles
    • B29L2031/712—Containers; Packaging elements or accessories, Packages
    • B29L2031/7162—Boxes, cartons, cases
    • B29L2031/7166—Cartons of the fruit juice or milk type, i.e. containers of polygonal cross sections formed by folding blanks into a tubular body with end-closing or contents-supporting elements, e.g. gable type containers

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Composite Materials (AREA)
  • Making Paper Articles (AREA)
  • Lining Or Joining Of Plastics Or The Like (AREA)
  • Cartons (AREA)
  • Pressure Welding/Diffusion-Bonding (AREA)

Abstract

Apparatus for use in welding a pour spout fitment (22) to a container (32) comprises an ultrasonic welding horn (18) formed with a recess (20) at one end for receiving part of the fitment (22), an anvil (2) between an annular surface portion of which and that one end of the horn (18) are vibratingly pressed a wall off the container (32) and the flange (28) to each other, a head (14) at the opposite end of the head (14) for maintaining an annular, radially inner portion of the flange (28) spaced axially outwards from the annular surface portion of the anvil (2), the outer periphery of the ring (16) being radially dimensioned to be received in the recess (20).

Description

  • This invention relates to apparatus for use in welding a screw-threaded pour spout fitment to a container, to a method of welding such fitment to such container, and to a spigot which can be included in the apparatus.
  • Applicators are known for ultrasonically welding plastics, screw-threaded pour spout fitments to plastics-coated paperboard cartons from the insides of open tops of the cartons. The applicator may include a member rotating about a horizontal axis and comprised of a plurality of arms extending from a hub, each arm carrying near its outer end a horizontally protruding head for receiving the fitment. The fitment usually consists of a screw cap screwed onto a flanged, externally-threaded, pour spout. As the member rotates, a fitment on the head is transported by the arm to a position co-axial with an ultrasonic welding horn formed co-axially at its free end with a recess. Then the member is advanced along its axis of rotation to introduce the fitment into a hole through the wall of a carton until the flange arrives at the inside surface of the wall. With the fitment in that position, the ultrasonic horn is advanced to receive, with clearance, the cap, the threaded part of the pour spout, and the head and vibratingly presses together, between its free end and an annular surface portion of the arm, the flange and the carton wall so as to weld the flange to the inside of the wall. We have found that applicators of this type suffer from the problem that, depending upon manufacturing tolerances in the fitment, application of high energy by the horn, in order to obtain a good weld between the flange and the wall, can result in such vibration of the fitment as to cause the screw threads of the cap and the spout to weld together to a degree that the cap is very hard, or even impossible, for a human being to unscrew from the spout without using a tool.
  • U.S. Pat. No. 5,653,832 discloses an applicator of this type which includes a downwardly-forwardly slanted arm portion carrying a spud and a weld back-up support which surrounds the inner end of the spud and serves to engage the axially outer face of a flange of the fitment. The spud and the support are integral with each other and detachable as a unit from the arm portion for special cleaning. The annular support is illustrated as being of external diameter equal to that of the flange of the fitment. The applicator also includes an ultrasonic horn formed with a recess in its free end, which recess receives with clearance the spud and a screw-threaded part of the fitment. The spud is shown as terminating short of the substantially planar inside surface of the screw cap of the fitment.
  • A somewhat similar applicator is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,484,374, except that the spud is provided by a spigot which is fixed in a shallow bore in the arm portion, that an annular surface portion of the arm portion itself provides the weld back-up support, and that, with the fitment fully loaded onto the spud, the spud extends to the planar inside surface of the screw cap of the fitment.
  • An applicator very similar to that of U.S. Pat. No. 5,484,374 is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,085,489, except that, disposed-on the front face of each lobe of the rotary spider is a circular anvil and a mandrel extending perpendicularly from the front face of the anvil. The mandrel can be either machined on the surface of the anvil or secured to that surface by means of a machine bolt. Likewise, each anvil or anvil/mandrel combination can either be machined as an integral part of an anvil housing of the lobe or, preferably, be secured to the anvil housing by means of a machine bolt.
  • We consider that the applicators of all of U.S. Pat. No. 5,653,832; U.S. Pat. No. 5,484,374 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,085,489 may both, upon occasions, produce the problem mentioned above.
  • According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided apparatus for use in welding a pour spout fitment to a container, comprising an ultrasonic welding horn formed with a recess at one end thereof for receiving part of said fitment, an anvil between an annular surface portion of which and said one end of the horn are vibratingly pressed a wall of said container and a flange of said fitment to weld said wall and said flange to each other, a head fixed relative to and protruding from said anvil for receiving said fitment over a free end thereof, and a ring substantially co-axial with said head and protruding substantially radially outwards from said head at an end thereof opposite to said free end for maintaining an annular, radially inner portion of said flange spaced axially outwards from said annular surface portion, characterized in that the outer periphery of said ring is of a diametral dimension less than a diametral dimension of said recess.
  • According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of welding a pour spout fitment to a container, comprising causing the fitment to be received over a free end of a head fixed relative to and protruding from an anvil, and introducing said head and thereby part of said fitment into a recess in an end of an ultrasonic welding horn, characterized by vibratingly pressing together, between said end of said horn and an annular surface portion of said anvil, a wall of said container and an annular, radially outer portion of a flange of said fitment to weld said wall and said radially outer portion together, while maintaining an annular, radially inner portion of said flange axially outwardly spaced from said annular surface portion.
  • Owing to the invention, it is possible to avoid excessive welding together of co-operating pieces of the fitment, which welding has the result of significantly increasing the torque required to open the fitment, which can in the worst circumstances make it impossible for a human being to open the fitment without using a tool.
  • The invention is particularly applicable in the case where the co-operating pieces of the fitment are screw threads.
  • The ring (and, if desired, the head) may be integral with the anvil, but are preferably in the form of a spigot detachable from the anvil to facilitate manufacture of the head and the ring, to facilitate cleaning, and to enable replacement of the head and the ring by another head and ring, particularly for adapting the apparatus more readily for differently dimensioned fitments.
  • According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a spigot for mounting a pour spout fitment for welding to a container, said spigot comprising a head portion for receiving said fitment over one end thereof and a ring portion substantially co-axial with said head portion and projecting substantially radially outwards from an end- of said head portion opposite to said one end.
  • In order that the invention may be clearly and completely disclosed, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawing which illustrates in side elevation partly in vertical section a stage in the welding of a screw-threaded pour spout fitment to a carton.
  • Referring to the drawing, a rotary arm 2 of an applicator is formed with a horizontal, through bore 4 into which is inserted an externally threaded bolt 6 having a head 8. The bolt 6 is screwed into an internally threaded tubular portion 10 of a spigot 12 to clamp the spigot firmly to the arm 2. The spigot 12 also includes a circular-cylindrical head portion 14 and a flange-form ring portion 16 co-axial with the head portion 14 and the tubular portion 10 and projecting radially outwards from that end of the head portion 14 nearer the arm 2. The arm 2 is not only rotatable about a horizontal axis A but also reciprocable along that axis. In the condition shown in the drawing, the arm 2 has reached a position in which the spigot 12 is co-axial with ant ultrasonic welding horn 18 which is horizontally reciprocable. The free end of the horn 18 is formed co-axially with a circular-cylindrical recess 20 which is of an internal diameter slightly greater than the external diameter of the ring portion 16. At a position above the level of the axis A, the head portion 14 is inserted into a plastics, screw-threaded, pour spout fitment 22 consisting of an internally threaded cap 24 and a flanged, externally-threaded, pour spout 26, with a tamper-evident feature (not shown) in the region where the rim of the mouth of the cap 24 is adjacent to the flange 28 of the pour spout 26. An annular, radially inner portion of the flange 28 bears against, and is co-extensive with, the ring portion 16, whilst the remaining, annular, radially outer portion of the flange 28 protrudes radially beyond the ring portion 16 at a spacing from the arm 2. With the head portion 14 fully inserted into the fitment 22, there is also a spacing 30 between the free end surface of the spigot 12 and the facing, substantially planar internal surface of the cap 24. Once the fitment 22 has been fully loaded onto the head portion 14, the arm 2 is displaced to the left along the axis A and is then rotated to a substantially vertical position in which the spigot 12 is substantially in a vertical plane containing the axis A. This brings the lower end of the arm 2 and, with it, the spigot 12 and the fitment 22 into the interior of a carton 32 comprised of paperboard coated on both faces with thermoplastics, possibly with the interposition of a gas barrier layer. Then the arm 2 is displaced to the right along the axis A to bring the arm 2, the spigot 12 and the fitment 22 into the condition shown in the drawing, in which the head portion 14 and the screw-threaded part of the fitment 22 have been introduced through a hole. 34 through the wall of the carton 32 until the flange 28 comes to bear against the inside surface of the wall, as seen in the drawing. Then the ultrasonic horn 18 is moved to the left until it vibratingly presses the carton wall and the annular, radially outer portion of the flange 28 against an annular surface portion of the arm 2, the head portion 14, the ring portion 16 and the screw-threaded part of the fitment 22 being received with clearance in the recess 20. The drawing shows the horn 18 in an intermediate position of this movement, in which it has just come to bear against the outside surface of the carton wall. The vibrational pressing together, between the arm 2 and the horn 18, of the carton wall and the annular, radially outer portion of the flange 28 welds the flange 28 securely to the thermoplastics coating at the inside surface of the wall of the carton 32. Then the arm 2 moves away to the left along the axis A and the horn 18 moves away to the right along the axis A and thereafter the arm 2 is turned out of the open top of the carton 32, whereafter the carton is advanced from the fitment-application station (partially represented in the drawing) to filling and sealing on-the form-fill-seal packaging machine.
  • We have found that the provision of the ring portion 16 supporting only a radially inner annular portion of the flange 28 greatly reduces the risk of firm welding of the internal threading of the cap 24 to the external threading of the pour spout 26 induced by the vibrations emanating from the horn 18. It appears that the unwanted firm welding has been caused by the threads impacting against each other during the ultrasonic welding. We have furthermore found that provision of the spacing 30 further reduces that risk. Nevertheless, it is still possible, if so desired, to control opening torque by adjusting the energy input, whilst still obtaining good welding of the flange 28 to the wall of the carton 32. The possible range of torque can be controlled to be from very easy to open to medium hard to open.
  • It will be understood that the axis of rotation A need not be horizontal but can be in any other orientation desired.

Claims (6)

1-4. (canceled)
5. Apparatus for use in welding a pour spout fitment to a container, comprising an ultrasonic welding horn formed with a recess at one end thereof for receiving part of said fitment, an anvil between an annular surface portion of which and said one end of the horn are vibratingly pressed a wall of said container and a flange of said fitment to weld said wall and said flange to each other, a head fixed relative to and protruding from said anvil for receiving said fitment over a free end thereof, and a ring substantially co-axial with said head and protruding substantially radially outwards from said head at an end thereof opposite to said free end for maintaining an annular, radially inner portion of said flange spaced axially outwards from said annular surface portion, wherein the improvement comprises the outer periphery of said ring being of a diametrical dimension less than a diametrical dimension of said recess.
6. A method of welding a pour spout fitment to a container, comprising causing the fitment to be received over a free end of a head fixed relative to and protruding from an anvil, and introducing said head and thereby part of said fitment into a recess in an end of an ultrasonic welding horn, wherein the improvement comprises vibratingly pressing together, between said end of said horn and an annular surface portion of said anvil, a wall of said container and an annular, radially outer portion of a flange of said fitment to weld said wall and said radially outer portion together, while maintaining an annular, radially inner portion of said flange axially outwardly spaced from said annular surface portion.
7. A method according to claim 6, wherein, with said fitment fully received over said head, there is a spacing between a free end surface of said head and a facing surface of said fitment.
8. A method according to claim 7, wherein, with said fitment fully received over said head and said horn not yet applied to said wall of said container, there is a spacing of from 0.2 mm. to 0.5 mm. between said annular surface portion of said anvil and said annular, radially outer portion of said flange.
9. A method according to claim 6, wherein, with said fitment fully received over said head and said horn not yet applied to said wall of said container, there is a spacing of from 0.2 mm. to 0.5 mm. between said annular surface portion of said anvil and said annular, radially outward portion of said flange.
US10/540,894 2002-12-28 2003-12-24 Apparatus and method for welding a pour spout fitment to a container Active 2024-09-05 US7568607B2 (en)

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GBGB0230237.0A GB0230237D0 (en) 2002-12-28 2002-12-28 Apparatus and method
PCT/IB2003/006201 WO2004058574A1 (en) 2002-12-28 2003-12-24 Apparatus and method for welding a pour spout fitment to a container

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US10189206B2 (en) * 2013-09-06 2019-01-29 GM Global Technology Operations LLC Apparatus and methods for repairing discrepant welds
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EP1583695B1 (en) 2006-10-04
WO2004058574A9 (en) 2004-08-26
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AU2003288637A1 (en) 2004-07-22
US7568607B2 (en) 2009-08-04
DE60308907D1 (en) 2006-11-16
DE60308907T2 (en) 2007-05-24
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GB0230237D0 (en) 2003-02-05
WO2004058574A1 (en) 2004-07-15

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